Dry January is not just a fad: more Brits are drinking little beer and no alcohol beer than ever before, research shows
More Brits are drinking little beer, wine and non-alcoholic spirits than ever before as they avoid a boozy lifestyle, a survey has found.
The trend is largely driven by younger adults, who are the most likely to embrace sobriety year-round.
Nearly four in ten British drinkers (38 percent) now also regularly or occasionally consume little or no alcohol alternatives, up from 29 percent in 2022.
And more than a quarter (29 percent) of adults who consume these drinks cite “health and medical” concerns as a major reason they sometimes choose an alternative to the real thing.
But the most popular reason for avoiding spirits is so they can drive home from social events (28 percent), the survey of 2,081 adults found.
The YouGov survey, commissioned by the alcohol industry regulator Portman Group, found that one in four people (24 percent) would like to see more, more cheap and no options on tap in pubs to help them further encourage switching.
They also want greater use of price promotions (30 percent) and greater availability of low-cost and off-price products in non-traditional hospitality spaces (26 percent), such as nightclubs, theaters, cinemas and live music and events venues.
Young adults are the biggest consumers of low- or no-alcohol alternatives, with almost half (46 percent) of 25- to 34-year-olds surveyed considering themselves occasional or regular drinkers of alcohol alternatives.
Nearly four in ten British drinkers (38 percent) now also consume few or no alcohol alternatives regularly or occasionally, up from 29 percent in 2022 (file image)
The trend is largely driven by younger adults, who are the most likely to embrace year-round sobriety (file image)
The younger generation also remains the most sober age group overall, with 39 percent of 18 to 24 year olds not drinking alcohol at all.
The Portman Group said the results suggest these alternatives are helping people ‘moderate’ their alcohol consumption, with 24 percent of current alcohol drinkers claiming their weekly consumption has fallen as a result of little or no alcohol products.
Matt Lambert, CEO of the organisation, said: ‘It’s fantastic to see low and no alternatives continuing to rise in popularity, while helping to encourage more conscious and moderate consumption among British alcohol drinkers.
‘We are pleased that the drinks and hospitality sector continues to work together to increase the choice, availability and visibility of low and no alcohol alternatives, and we continue to urge the UK Government to provide us with the outcome of the recent consultation on descriptors for low alcohol consumption, further facilitating the growth of the UK low and no alcohol market.”